IF, AS THE saying goes, “the third time is a charm,” then the 30th time must be magnificent.
And so it was when 45 gardening aficionados departed the PDN’s garden bus to be first in line entering the country’s second largest flower show this past Wednesday in Seattle.
The Northwest Flower and Garden Show, which ends today at 5 p.m., celebrated its 30th anniversary at the Washington State Convention Center with a plethora of horticultural wonders.
And since the Flower and Garden Show always occurs in February, right around the State of the Union speech, I, too, will again give my “state of the horticultural world” address.
From the hordes of people clambering up the three flights of escalators to the spectacular show gardens, from all the new varieties of plants to the wonderful art pieces for your yard and garden, the state of horticulture in this country is prolific.
In our industry, my industry, the horticultural world is blooming in new innovation, design, practicality and fine art.
The extension of your indoor living space has now leafed out into your yard, enveloped your garden and has set down roots in the outdoors.
No longer is it just chic to have a pizza oven or wine fridge on the patio, now it is desired and planned around.
What was just a few years ago a pictorial spread in Better Homes and Gardens is now standard design in new yards and in garden makeovers.
One of the benefits of landscaping is the fact it needs no building permit and thus is free to design and build with your desires as the top priority.
And that is the real beauty of this now-embedded trend.
Rooms in your home have real, steadfast dimensions.
They have 7-foot tall walls that block one’s perspective using tiny portals called windows to control one’s view, dictating the sitting arrangement.
When some of your home moves outdoors with you, so, too, does the free-roaming aspect of nature.
Suddenly it is not a 200- or 300-square-foot room, but rather an infinite space of yard, the territorial views and the depths of the sky and stars above.
To incorporate a functional room of your house into the yard can alone double your square footage and thus dramatically increase the value of your home.
The prolific state of horticulture aids this transformation in numerous ways.
On display at the Flower and Garden Show were many examples of new “flooring” and rockwork from pre-cast concrete stones that look like interlocked slabs of rock (but totally flat on the walking surface), to long ceramic tiles that required me to kneel and scratch to confirm that they were not wood (no moss, mildew, stain or rot).
If you’re in an urban setting use pervious pavers to minimize stormwater impacts, freeing your design while keeping under the government count of pavement.
Then, too, the latest generation of Trex materials (a plastic, resin, waterproof wood alternative) were arranged in a fencing pattern, railing, walkways and even bridges (numerous color choices), defying the long, damp days here in the Pacific Northwest.
Water features are experiencing their own genesis as they are no longer just ponds.
As was seen at this year’s show, beautiful, large, polished boulders emitted water that gracefully flowed over the surface and disappeared into small stones beneath in a “pondless” feature.
Water trickled gracefully down molded glass panels in a magical refraction of light, heated bird baths slowly dripped, while bee watering feeders hung near the window where occupants could watch them quench their busy thirst.
Water was also used in solemn reflecting ponds as large, laser-cut rocks sounded off with musical intrigue.
And the deck and patio was also experiencing its own renaissance as the “man cave” and “rec room” moved outside too complete with miniature refrigerators, propane stove-top burners, wine coolers, beer taps, stainless steel barbecues, plasma TVs, spa areas, romantic niches — even waterproof lounge chairs were displayed in a tantalizing manner.
Dream it, design it, live it.
Even the game room moved into the garden with a 2-foot tall wooden chess set on full display next to the patio kitchen, keeping the sophisticate occupied while grilling commenced (or let children run circles around).
And fine art was definitely on display.
There was a breathtaking pair of polished chrysanthemum marbles, polished and 4-feet tall, that stood as sentinels to the garden entrance way.
Magnificent kinetic sculptures that spun and twirled in a blend of movement, color and artistic expression waited for the breeze to set them in motion.
Another tube-steel welded and galvanized art piece towered 10 feet into the air, with low-voltage square blocks lighting the patio from a solar mechanism hidden above, with open webbed leaves and juxtaposed angled base moving your eye from base to tip and back again, created from the mind’s eye of a 25-year old man whose parents, admittedly, were proud.
Not to be overlooked was a stain glass greenhouse of multicolored panels, a stylistic rock eagle sculpture, and even a 400-year old bonsai — true art in living motion.
So yes, even though the Northwest Flower and Garden show was fully stocked with all manner of trees, bushes, seeds, bulbs, plants, flowering vines and shrubs, the state of horticulture is budding out in a phenomenal manner, not in the least feeling restricted, reminding us all to garden away to our hearts desire.
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Andrew May is an ornamental horticulturist who dreams of having Clallam and Jefferson counties nationally recognized as “Flower Peninsula USA.” Send him questions c/o Peninsula Daily News, P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362, or email news@peninsuladailynews.com (subject line: Andrew May).
